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The Stevedores Beer and Whiskey Bar, hidden on a quiet little lane near Cambridge Heath, east London, isn’t easy to find but, once you’re there, it’s worth it. The interior is bedecked in maritime paraphernalia – old barrels and wooden beams you’d imagine once belonged to a big, regal ship. It makes sense, the bar is named after the people who, many years passed, loaded boats with alcohol.
We visited to sample the bar’s Bulleit whiskey – including bourbon and rye – and to try some of Cura London’s Pull & Punch slow-cooked, barbecue creations. We were greeted with a cocktail, which was a new take on a Negroni with Bulleit Rye, vermouth and Campari. A warm, gently spiced note permeated the otherwise familiar flavour, rendering it slightly sweeter and a more complex drink than we were expecting.
The team at Bulleit talked us through their produce – it’s actually a resurrected tipple, originally created around 150 years ago, and so the rustic location became even more fitting. As well as being credible stand-alone drinks, the whiskeys work surprisingly well when paired with beer. This is where the people at London Craft Beer Festival stepped in. Both bourbon and rye worked particularly well with the IPA they selected – the light, fresh taste of the latter worked to counterbalance and complement the heat of the former.
Food followed. First came cauliflower – a suitably en vogue choice – roasted with punchy Korean hot sauce, gochujang.
This was a moreish side dish, as was the plate of buttery, oven-hot potatoes that arrived next. The real highlight of the culinary menu, however, was the pulled beef burger. English and American traditions combined in the creation of this generously loaded, juicy dish. The meat is cooked for 12 hours, so is perfectly tender without losing any of its moisture, while the brioche bun and crispy, creamy cabbage add a touch of mellowness, a delicate sweetness that offsets the smokiness of the meat.
Just as we were finishing up, a folk band kicked in on the near-floor-level stage. The bar has a number of ambiance-enhancing acts lined up, and these musicians certainly added to the atmosphere – a combination of informal and connoisseurial. This is the sort of temporary space that will leave you wishing it was a more permanent fixture, but perhaps the temporary nature adds to the appeal of it.
by Becky Zanker
Stevedores Beer and Whiskey Bar is open until March 10, 2015